MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT - Gospel (John 4:43-54) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” (Jn 4:48)

FIRST READING - Is 65:17-21

A reading from the Book of Isaiah

Thus says the LORD:

Lo, I am about to create new heavens

and a new earth;

The things of the past shall not be remembered

or come to mind.

Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happiness

in what I create;

For I create Jerusalem to be a joy

and its people to be a delight;

I will rejoice in Jerusalem

and exult in my people.

No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,

or the sound of crying;

No longer shall there be in it

an infant who lives but a few days,

or an old man who does not round out his full lifetime;

He dies a mere youth who reaches but a hundred years,

and he who fails of a hundred shall be thought accursed.

They shall live in the houses they build,

and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - John 4:43-54

From the Gospel according to John

At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee.

For Jesus himself testified

that a prophet has no honor in his native place.

When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him,

since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast;

for they themselves had gone to the feast.

Then he returned to Cana in Galilee,

where he had made the water wine.

Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum.

When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,

he went to him and asked him to come down

and heal his son, who was near death.

Jesus said to him,

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

The royal official said to him,

“Sir, come down before my child dies.”

Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.”

The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.

While the man was on his way back,

his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live.

He asked them when he began to recover.

They told him,

“The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.”

The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him,

“Your son will live,”

and he and his whole household came to believe.

Now this was the second sign Jesus did

when he came to Galilee from Judea.

MONDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT - Gospel (John 4:43-54)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In today's Word of God, God the Father invites people to have absolute faith in Him. He is more pleased with those with strong faith than with those who only want to see miracles before believing. Strong faith will help overcome all the temptations of Satan.

Looking at the example of the centurion in today's Gospel, we see that he had a strong faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ. Through his strong faith, he followed the command of Jesus: “You may go; your son will live.” This is an example for people today to follow. To have absolute faith in the teachings of God the Father and put them into practice, then He will grant everything when asked for.

God the Father is the One who directs all things, He will bestow all blessings upon His children.

Whoever comes to God the Father with faith, will always receive good things. Therefore, when we profess our faith in God the Father as the Absolute One, the One of Love, do not hesitate when asking; do not doubt when coming to God the Father to pray for anything. God the Father does not want us to have a hesitant faith, yet He desires us to have absolute trust in Him. Then Satan will lose and let go of his hold over our souls.

Today's Word of God calls on all humanity to run to God with absolute faith and put that faith into practice. Do not profess our faith in God the Father with our lips without putting our faith into practice.

These practices include:

-Do exactly as God the Father instructs you to do.

Do not argue with Him, for He understands everything about your body and soul.

-Have absolute trust in God the Father, who is rich in mercy. He will bring good things, not bad things, to your body and soul.

Therefore, when asking for anything with absolute faith, believe that God is providential.

He will guide and direct everything for your soul on this earthly journey toward the heavenly homeland.

Thanks be to God. Amen.